Fen of the Lost World
by Lya200
Summary: Lost. Alone. Friendless. That is who Fen is. He is simply trying to survive where everyone else seems to have died from the creatures of the night. He thinks he is alone. He is not. This story takes place in the world of Minecraft with several other characters. Please give this story a chance and I will do the same.
1. A Lonely Field

Fen of the Last World

**_Woo Minecraft story. What fun! I am really excited for this. I got the idea from RejectedShotgun's The Haunting/The Haunted, so if you seen it, you may recognize some small details later on in the story. If you haven't, then please check it out. Basically, this is a mob-apocalypse story. It will center on one guy called Fen. He is trying to survive and there is a bunch of action cause creepers. Like the rest of my stories, my cover seems confusing, but all will be explained. The story begins about a month into the apocalypse in case you wanted to know. Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft or some story ideas. Don't sue me. Note: Most of this story will be in Fen's POV unless I say so._**

Chapter One: A Lonely Field

I brandished my sword tightly as I searched for supplies. It was the key to my survival. I know that I am probably one of the last people in Caronigh. My home country was hit pretty badly once this thing started. I used to live a happy life. Now that is gone.

I heard an unsatisfying sound by me. There was no apparent hesitation as I stabbed the creeper. I don't like creepers. Not at all…

It was a week into the apocalypse. I was living still in my small village with my parents Juan and Cartha. The sun was shining, and I had hoped the day would be decent. I was wrong. Around lunchtime, we went out for a picnic. We were sitting in a peaceful-looking field when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was some sort of green creature.

If only I wasn't curious. Then my parents might be alive. My train of thought was interrupted when I saw a berry bush. Sweet, blackberries. I stripped the bush of all its berries and dropped them into my pack. I didn't have a whole lot. I simply have a jacket, a pack, these berries, my sword from some old armory, a spare t-shirt, a pair of boots, a little coal, a little bread, a small journal, and a hatchet. Well I also have the clothes on my back.

I chose to leave my house once they died. Too much painful memories. All I grabbed was what little food we had left, a few other supplies, and a photo of the three of us. I also have a shard of glass that came from Dad's glasses. That is all that was left of him.

I continued through the forest. It is getting dark, and I know that I don't want to be outside when it does. That is when the mobs come out. I suppose the least harmless is probably zombies. Those guys are really slow and all they do is scratch. Unlike most stories, scratches and bites won't kill you. It is when they actually do it that you turn.

A field was up ahead. In the middle of the field, there was a small house. Shelter. I sped up quickly just to get to the house. I could already see a small figure in the distance that I knew to be a skeleton. And I certainly don't want to be within arrow range.

I made it to the house just as the last rays of light settled into nothingness. Nightfall. I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. I was safe.

With closer inspection I saw some things that suggested that someone lived here. A messy bed. A kettle over a fire pit. An already lit torch above the door. A sweater on the back of a chair. I decided to wait for the owner to arrive. Maybe he or she could let me stay the night. All I could do was wait for him to arrive in order to carry on.

I knew it would be rude to sleep in the bed, and creepy too, so I chose to lie down on a dusty couch. As I got comfortable, I wondered, "Will he kill me if he comes while I rest." I answered to myself, "You won't be any worse off than you already are."

**_Woah, short chapter. Shocking. I have a mini contest. I want you to send me any name for the mystery character. It can be a boy or girl. It can also be by pm or review. All I need is a name. The best name will be chosen and the submitter will be mentioned and will receive a special pm. So read and review and check out the other stories that I have. I want to know you guys are reading. Bye._**

**_~Lya200~_**


	2. Alone No More

**_Woo finally chose to type this. I know that technically I wanted to do a poll ending the 10_****_th_****_, but almost no one voted. Actually, only two people took time to send me names. Finally, I decided to use a name from both people because I never specified how many characters I can use. So congrats to SkybornWriterGal and Isla-Robin-295. (throws confetti) Because I am so evil, the names will be revealed NEXT chapter. I will tell the winners which name I chose though. Read on my tributes. I no own Minecraft._**

Chapter 2: Alone No More

I awoke to voices. It was not yet daylight. "This place belongs to two people," I realized with a jolt. I cautiously opened my eyes. A boy and girl were looking at me as though I was a wild animal in their home. I suppose I am. The girl spoke. "_What_ is your name?" **_(Forget it, forget it all and jumps off cliff)_**

I shrugged. The boy was holding a knife to my throat. "Fen. Fen Adrid of Caronigh." There was no use in lying.

He looked at me suspiciously. "Well, Fen Adrid of Caronigh, what are you doing in our home?"

I looked at him with a pained expression. "I just need a place to stay for the night. Then I will leave and not bother you again."

He glanced at his companion. "Well I don't know. Last time we let someone spend the night…" The girl interrupted, "Of course you can stay here. We could use company." She looked at boy. They might even be siblings by the looks of it. "Won't we?"

The boy sighed in defeat. "Fine. But you are not keeping watch." Something must have happened in their past that is making him not trust me. I know now what I want to find out. "I have some food if you want some. Blackberries. Oh, and some bread if you are hungry."

The boy opened his mouth to argue, but her stomach growled. The boy looked at me. "Neither of us can hunt. We used to farm, but that is gone. The weather is just too cold."

The words flew out of my mouth. "We can work together. I can hunt and gather. You guys can farm and keep watch. We can be a team."

The girl smiled. "I am fine with that. I mean, why not?" The boy did not argue. So it was settled.

They had two sweaters, a spare pair of socks, a knife, a banana they got from a store, a water bottle, a glove, some seeds, a bit of frayed rope, and two sleeping bags, all in one backpack. "It's not much, but it keeps us alive."

I smiled. "What are you guys' names anyways? If we are going to be friends…"

The boy spoke. "Woah, woah, woah. Who said anything about friendship?"

The girl reprimanded her brother. "Come on. I think we should be friends. Or has Yokon's death distraught you too much?"

His expression darkened. "Yokon's death has nothing to do with this."

I shook my head. "Are you telling me your names or what?"

The girl giggles. "We will tomorrow. It is getting late." I nod. "I understand."

The guy was not very pleased. "Come on. Are you seriously going to tell him our _names_?" She shakes her head yes, so he gives her a disapproving look. In answer, I go to lie down in the bed.

_A woman was watching me. I did not know her. She had dark skin and hair. Something tells me to talk to her. "Who are you?"_

_The woman looks at me. "I am called many things. It is different for each person who meets me. For you, please call me The Guardian."_

_"Why are you here?" I paused, then added, "The Guardian."_

_The Guardian looks at me and smiles softly. "I want to give you some advice. This path you are choosing is long and dangerous. You will meet friend and foe alike. All I ask of you is to trust the one with the Egg." _

_"What do you mean Guardian?"_

_"There will come a time when you must make a choice. The choice you make can and will affect the world. In order to guide you, I only can advise you is this. Trust the one with the egg."_

_I stare at her. "Egg? What are you saying?"_

_"Just follow your heart. Your time will come." She fades away. _

_I yell at her desperately. "WAIT!" _

I woke up with a start. What did I just dream?

**_Originally, the dream was supposed to come later on in the story, but I decided now will be a good time. Now, you might be thinking, "But what are their names? What is that lady talking about with an egg? TELL ME NOW!" I will say this. All answers will be revealed soon. Just when is the question. So please review your thoughts. Congratulations to the winners of my contest. Look for a PM. Also, I will do a PM reply to all reviews starting now. If you are a guest, then you will get a reply in the next chapter. This goes for ALL my stories. _**

**_ Mi-ine, Mi-ine, Minecraft. Mi-ine, Mi-ine, Minecraft. O-woah-oh-oh-oh-oh._**

**_~Lya200~_**


	3. Forgiveness and Trust

**_Ok, now I can make longer chapters because I can reveal their names yay. Congratulations again to Isla-Robin-295 and Skyborn-Writer-Gal for having the winning names. You guys are awesome. Well let me go and let you read. Also, please please please review. I rarely get any reviews even though I try to review each story I read. If I get a review, I promise that I will try and read/review one of your stories as well (or pm you if I don't enjoy the category. Read on, my fellow human beings._**

Chapter 3: Forgiveness and Trust

My eyes flickered open as my body sensed something. I am smelling something delicious. "Bacon and eggs," I murmured softly. I turned my head slowly in the direction of the smell. Sure enough, the girl was flipping some eggs over the fire on a makeshift grill. She noticed that I was awake. "Hungry?"

I nodded my answer. She noticed that her brother was still asleep. Without making a sound, she tip-toed to the couch where he lay fast asleep. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and bellowed, "JAZEN, GET UP RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT TO EAT SOMETHING!"

The newly dubbed Jazen rolled off the couch in surprise and hit his head. His sister laughed as he cursed at her under his breath.

Jazen glared at her. "Well, so much for keeping our names a secret, _Irys._" Irys rolled her eyes at her distrusting brother and dished out the breakfast. "I got these eggs from outside. I think there is a nest of chickens nearby. If we look hard enough, we might be able to catch some."

Irys's brother said nothing as he bit into his bacon. I looked at my plate and chose to eat the eggs first. It was delicious. The bacon, however, seemed a little cold. She must have cooked it first.

Jazen looked up. "Ok… um what is your name again?"

"Fen."

"Right. Fen, if you are going to stay here, we need to lay down some ground rules. You are not to eat unless it is meal time. You are not to leave the house's boundaries unaccompanied, and under no circumstances are you to try and boss us around. Understood?"

I nodded. Jazen bent over and whispered in my ear. "Also, don't try anything with my sister."

Irys eyed him suspiciously as she gathered our plates. I tried to offer to do this instead, but she said that she enjoys doing the dishes. Weird, but I did not argue.

After breakfast, Jazen and I decided to go look for some water. The supply we had was running low, and we needed some to survive. Once we were out of earshot from the house, Jazen looked at me. "Ok. I feel like I need to explain why I want you to stay away from Irys. I couldn't say it at the table with her around, but you deserve to know why."

I look at him expectantly and a little confused. I don't even know why he told me this in the first place. I can't afford to become attached to someone only to lose them again. Didn't Mom and Dad's deaths prove that.

Jazen took a deep breath. "We were living together with another guy called Yokon. He was my best friend. He was also dating Irys at the time. We also were with my dad. Mom died when I was little. It was about two weeks into the apocalypse when he…"

He stopped. "If this is going to be too painful for you, then…"

"No, I need to get this off my chest. We were on a supply run, Dad, Yokon, and me. We were just coming back when we were attacked by a bunch of raiders."

"They demanded for us to give them all of our stuff. Naturally, we all refused. Then they did something unforgivable."

Jazen winced. "They aimed their guns at Dad and told Yokon and I to give up our stuff or he would die. I agreed because, well, I didn't want him dead. Yokon, however, said that it didn't matter to him whether or not he died. Then,…"

He sobbed. "Then, the raider's leader aimed his gun at Dad and shot him. It was full pandemonium. I was furious, so I didn't stop firing my gun until they all lay dead at my feet. Yokon told me that it was true and he would only slow us down. In my anger, I stabbed my former friend."

This look on his face was a little crazed. "Not deep enough to kill him, but enough to cause him great pain. He deserved it."

"After that, I told Yokon to go and never come back. I told him that if he returns, he will be sorry. When I came home, I told Irys that they were both killed by raiders. I knew that she would be heartbroken if she knew the truth."

"That is why I can't have you get close to her. I can't have a repeat of what happened."

I was speechless. That is horrible. Carefully, gently, I lay a hand on his shoulder as he wept onto the ground. I waited for him to calm down before I said, "Don't worry about me. I am not ready to love again only to lose them either. Even if I was, I promise you that I won't do the same."

Jazen nodded meekly. We silently filled our bottles with some water from a nearby stream and dropped in some iodine. Once the sun started setting over the horizon, we started our way back to the cabin.

Just before we entered, Jazen looked at me. "Thanks for listening." Then he smiled for the first time and we walked inside.

Irys said nothing to us as we entered the house, but when we sat down in our chairs, she frowned at Jazen. "I know what happened."

Jazen looked shocked. "You were spying on us? Why would you do that?"

Irys glanced down at her feet. "I didn't spy on you. You talk in your sleep. I heard you yelling ," **You deserve this! I don't want you to come back here! Come back and I promise I will kill you!**" Who were you talking to? Dad? Is that why he is gone? Or were you speaking to Fen? He is staying here whether you like it or not. Or perhaps it was Yokon. He is gone too isn't he?" With those words, she stormed outside.

"I should go talk to her," Jazen mumbled as he followed her out the door. As soon as he left, I heard a voice behind me. "I thought they would never leave." I turned around.

The woman from my dream was standing there. Am I hallucinating? The Guardian seemed to read my mind. "No. I am real. But only you can see me."

This is so confusing. "So you are just in my head, but you are real?"

She smiled. "Of course. Now I know you might be wondering why I am talking to you now. Last night, if you remember, I visited you in your dream. I told you who I was and gave you some advice. Do your remember this?"

I thought hard for a moment. "Um, didn't you say something about trust and an egg."

She beamed at me. "Ahh, yes. The egg. I told you to trust the one with the egg. I know that when I left, I left you confused. I shall tell you the truth and give you and explanation."

She pauses, then continues. "About one thousand years ago, dragons took over the land. The people lived in fear of the beasts whose breath was hot enough to melt steel. Thus, in order to protect themselves, the people started several tribes that eventually formed into countries. The countries each had different views on the situation."

"While they were all rather big, the largest of them all is the Empire of Gantee. Most call it the Empire. I assume you have heard of it."

I nod in understanding. Of course I have heard of the Empire. Who hasn't? This is the country that supposedly has great riches flowing from the capitol, The Imperial City, throughout the kingdom just like the River of Caronigh. The Guardian's gently grew a faint smile. "I see that you paid attention in geography. Very wise. Now, please allow me to continue. About 200 years ago, the Empire chose wage a war against the dragons that had taken over the land."

I interrupted her. "Wait. Dragons? They never told us this in school."

She gently smiles. "After the war, the people chose to forget about the dragons in fear of causing people to try and get ahold of some things. Thus, they called this time period the Forgotten Age."

The Guardian then stopped. "Your friends are coming back. Be wary of those who you can't trust. Your friends are ok, but be careful for the future. Good luck." She fades away just as the door opens.

Irys storms inside. "Ok Fen. I don't know what he told you, but I am perfectly ok with taking care of myself. Are we clear?"

I quickly nod, and she stomps over to her room. Jazen only shrugs as he went to go make dinner. Apparently it is his night. According to him, he is a good cook. One hour and 'meal' later, I could safely say that I disagree. More like slop in my opinion, but I didn't say anything. I need to stay on his good side.

What of the Guardian though? She left just as they came back. Now I am missing half of the story. Perhaps she will try to contact me again if I allow her an opportunity. Then she could tell me more about the egg.

**_Ok then. I think I can safely say that I am excited for the chapters to come. If you are too, then please review. I almost never get a review, and I really want to know that you care. If you have any suggestions that can improve my writing, then please tell me. I want to know what you guys think. Also, remember that if you review, I will review and possibly favorite one of your stories. Please. :) Also, I have 'links' (they don't work just copy and paste) on my bio to what the characters look like if you want to check them out. They are near the top._**

**_~Lya200~_**


	4. A Nightmarish Gamble

Chapter 4: A Nightmarish Gamble

**_New chapter yay. It took me a while to come up with the story for this chapter. I know what I wanted to happen in the future, but I wasn't sure if I wanted it now. Well, I think I have a plan for what I will do in the upcoming chapters. *grins evilly* It will be truly incredible._**

_I walked through the rubble terrified. Digging around through the demolished dirt, something glinted in the bright sunlight. A shard of glass. A choking noise escaped my mouth as I realized what it was. A piece of Dad's glasses. "Maybe he escaped, but his glasses broke during the explosion._

_Sadly, I knew that was not the case, especially when I saw the bloody mass in the center of the crater. My mom broke down in tears, then a crazed look filled her bright blue eyes. "I'm sorry Fen."_

_She ripped a knife from her pocket and turned it towards her chest. "It is all your fault Fen. Because of you, he is dead." The blade plunged through her heart, and Mom breathed no more. It was all my fault._

I jerked awake, sweat soaking my face. Jazen stared at me from across the room, concern written in his raised eyebrows. Just another bad dream.

There was no point in going back to sleep because the dawn's early light was seeping through the windows. Stretching, I pulled myself out of the bed.

It has been six months since I met Irys and Jazen. By now, I currently share a room with Jazen. We ended up making a bed with the wool from the sheep in the forests. Irys was not awake yet, and Jazen most likely went back to sleep, so I was alone.

Stepping outside the house, I walked over to the river and sat down on the rocks. Why can't I have a normal life? If only I didn't go forward to meet that creeper. That was the first mob that I actually saw. I heard of some just before the town was destroyed, but I didn't know that some could attack during the day as well. That creeper proved that.

Smoke billowed from across the water. In the distance, I caught a couple flickers of firelight. Someone was close by. I was tempted to investigate, but I ultimately decided against it. No. They could be unfriendly.

The most that I could will myself to do was at least check it out. I sneaked over to peek at the new neighbors. Twenty or so men were surrounding a campfire drinking something. One man said something funny, and his companions erupted into joyous laughter that shook the entire woodland.

After a while, I quickly learned of their plans from what seemed to be their leader. "Come on, guys. It is time to take the place. We were watching them for two weeks now, and it looks like their defenses are weak. We need to act now and claim their supplies."

There was a mumbling of agreement, and they all got up. One of them put out the fire while the others gathered their weapons. Raiders.

They started in the direction of our house. I need to warn Jazen and Irys. Dashing through the overgrown bushes, I leapt across the tributary and fled all the way home. Irys looked at me questionably. "Are you alright, Fen? Why are you all out of breath?"

Heaving wearily, I managed to breathe out a few words. "Raiders…huh huh…In the forest…huh…They are…huh huh huh… coming."

Fear was ablaze in her eyes, and Irys spent no extra time except to wake up a very confused Jazen. When he heard of the looters planning to ambush us, the look on his face grew grave. "We need to go."

It was a jumble trying to get all of our stuff together. I was lucky that most of my stuff was safely located inside my pack. I just needed to get my sword.

Irys snatched up the food on the table and shoved it into a bag along with the rest of the food and water. Jazen noted this and advised, "Leave some. They might not go after us if there is still something left to raid." We left some apples, bread, and steak rather reluctantly.

Jazen gathered some general survival supplies in his knapsack. Blankets, compasses, maps, tools, wood, all of it. For personal items, Irys clasped a necklace around her neck, and Jazen pocketed a pocket watch.

It was time for our escape. Fumbling to get out of the house, we managed to get to the river. The odds, however, were not in our favor, and the raiders were waiting to ambush us, glee covering every inch of their bodies. The leader jeered at us. "Well well well. It is the little trio of heroes who live in the field. Eager to give us your stuff, are you? Don't worry, we will get to that in a moment."

The leader's light blue-green eyes survey Irys, Jazen, and I. I glimpsed at the faces of my companions. There was clear resentment in both of there faces, but, in the case of Irys, bewilderment.

The leader smirked, swinging his sword. "Well, I can give you two options. You either give us all your stuff, or I kill you. And this time, I won't hesitate."

Pure horror shone in Jazen's eyes which followed the sword, then he laid down his backpack. "Okay, you win. Here is my stuff." He didn't sound hesitant though. He sounded like he had a strategy.

The boss turned to Irys who still did not put down her things. "What about you?"

Her eyes widened at being singled out. She glanced towards Jazen who nodded. "Oh. Yeah. Here you go." She literally dropped the stuff, ignoring the thumping sound that occurred when the bag fell on her foot.

Finally, he stares at me in amusement. "So, are you going to give us that bag as well?"

I was hesitant. All of my personal items were in here. I can't give them up. But then he might kill Irys and Jazen. I can't risk that.

I felt the straps slide off my shoulders. Then Jazen yelled out, "Now!"

Irys understood and pulled out a knife from her sleeve and stabbed the closest raider. I unsheathed my sword and swung it at the head of the leader who ducked. He retaliated with a slash towards my chest which I blocked.

I tried to jab at his leg to weaken him. He parried, causing a loud clanging noise. I then aimed for his throat. Blocked. "Now now. Don't be a bad guy. Mommy would not be proud if you killed someone, would she."

His words had the intended effect. I stopped swinging my sword, allowing him an opening. He knocked me down to the ground, a crazed look on his face. He sliced my stomach. Not too deep, but it still hurt. Screeching in agony, I tried to shake him off of me. That didn't work. Suddenly, an arrow flew through the air and landed in his forearm.

We both noticed Jazen holding a bow and arrow he took from a dead raider, painful sadness standing out in his olive green eyes. "I told you to go away."

The leader got the message and dodged the next arrow. "Retreat," he called out to his remaining men. They all fled through the trees. Jazen started to go after them, but Irys held his arm. "No. It's not worth it."

We turned around to get to the house but were met with a terrible surprise.

The house was in flames. A lone raider seemed proud of himself. In his right hand he held a burnt out match while in the left was an empty gallon of gasoline.

The arrow hit him in the forehead before he could escape. Irys fell to her knees as she watched her childhood home burn away. Jazen's mouth was agape in anguish. "No."

"Well, where do we go from here? There is nothing left but ashes," I spoke up after several hours of Irys taking care of my wound.

Jazen uttered, "I guess we can try and find some supplies in the general area and try to find shelter. Or, we can try something else."

The ghost of a smile shined faintly. "We can try and go north. Life is just not going to work here."

Irys and I were unsure. "We will figure out our next move tomorrow. For now, Fen needs to rest," Jazen added.

**_That seems like a good place to stop. Trust me, I have a good idea on what will happen in the upcoming chapters. Don't worry, I will update soon, but I still appreciate and respond to reviews and read/review a story. Just saying. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving/Thursday (depends on where you live). _**

**_~Lya200~_**


	5. Sanctuary

**_Now we are getting somewhere. By the end of the chapter you should see why. I am so ready for what is to come because, well, I should not say. Huge spoilers if I do. The title for the chapter is a nod to Walking Dead, so don't call me out on it. If you like the show, then you can sort of guess what that might mean (don't worry, no cannibalism). I hope you like it. _**

Chapter 5: Sanctuary

"Agh," I groaned as I woke up. Judging by the position of the sun, I would say that it's noon. Jazen looked up from the weapons he was polishing. Distress flashed in his eyes from lack of sleep, yet he seemed relieved that I was alive.

Irys was passed out close by. An old wool blanket similar to the one I had was wrapped around her shoulders. It was enough for now, but soon winter will come. Who knows what will happen next? Jazen shook her a little to wake her up. "Let's move."

He passed us both an apple for the road since we had no time to lose. Those guys will be back once they are stronger, and we need to be far away from them when they do. I tried to get up on my own to no avail. When she saw me struggling, Irys helped me to my feet.

At least it was not my leg that was cut. While it still hurt, the slash on my stomach was not too deep. Besides, we did have some healing potions to at least alleviate some of the pain, just not all of it.

Even with her help and that of the potions, I was still weak. We all were. While uninjured, my friends were both still shaken up from the attack. Jazen and Irys denied having any connections with them in the past, but I don't believe that. Their reactions proved that they had run-ins with them in the past, but I don't understand the details.

My condition slowed us down. If I wasn't injured, then we could all navigate the thicket with ease. This forest was thick, and none of us knew our way through.

A pig oinked in the distance, so Jazen drew his knife. We only had enough food to last us maybe a week or two if we were careful, so the meat was welcome. I wish that we had a way to cook it without starting a fire, but what choice do we have? I would rather die by bow and arrow than starvation.

The pig fell over dead, and Jazen withdrew his knife as if nothing happened. Soon, the dead animal's meat was separated from the parts no one will want to eat. I found some air-tight bags in my backpack and salt to preserve the pork. Then the twig snapped.

Besides the wind whistling through the woods, it was silent. I could hear my own heartbeat. Irys and Jazen both raised their weapons, but no one was in sight. Jazen gestured for us to continue moving forward. "Probably just a wild animal. This forest is full of them." That did not satisfy my mind, and I had trouble calming down.

Irys relaxed but kept her knife out. As a precaution, I did the same with my sword. It was better to be safe than sorry anyway.

Jazen was not the same since we ran into those bandits. The serious feeling of being watched did not help. "Are you okay, dude? You were pretty shaken up back there."

"I'm fine."

"But you don't act like it. Are you sure-?"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" He turned around enraged. His snap was enough to make me go quiet. I don't want a repeat of last time I angered him.

He went quiet and looked up into a tree. A small smile stretched across his face. Jazen laid down his bags near the base of the oak and started to climb. Irys's eyes widened in confusion. "Jazen, what are you do-…?"

Jazen lifted the hand that he was not using to hold himself up to silence her. Like a squirrel, the young man climbed the tree with ease and soon disappeared within the branches. I raised my eyebrow at Irys. "Since when did he climb trees?"

The blonde shrugged. "He did it a lot when we were kids, but he hasn't done so since he accidentally shoved me out of this big birch and caused me to break my leg."

"I don't mean to press for answers, but when was that?"

"About four years ago. Oh, here comes Jazen." Her index finger drew a line pointed at the man who just climbed down.

He was hiding something behind his back. His green eyes lit up in giddiness. "Guess what I found."

I shared a look with Irys and shrugged. "I don't know. What?"

He thrust a burlap sack into Irys's face. She cautiously opened the bag and laughed. I stole a peek into it. A handful of shiny red apples were piled inside. "Apples. The last ones of the season, I'm sure," Jazen said proudly.

Irys hugged her brother tightly. "Yay we won't starve."

"At least for a while," I said to no one in particular. Irys rolled her eyes. It was true. We were short on food.

Seeing no other reason to stop, we all continued through the woods to find some shelter. The sun was starting to go down, and we can all agree that we don't want to be out after dark, especially with zombies and skeletons.

"What is that? Over there." Irys extended her hand forward unexpectedly.

Jazen stepped forward a few steps and smiled. "This way."

I did not quite see what they were looking at until we got close. Relief flooded our faces. It was an old house. Shelter.

Irys, being a polite girl, knocked quickly on the door. No one answered. She grinned and opened the door. "Wait. What if there is someone who is gone? Remember the 'animal?'"

Irys shrugged. "You need a real place to rest. You're hurt, and this is a nice place." With that said, she disappeared into the cabin.

Jazen glances at me confused. "I don't know why she is this way. Irys is always the kind of girl who wants to do what's right. There were several options, yet she chose the illegal one."

"Well, looks like we have no other choice." I limped inside. Jazen nodded and followed me inside.

It was difficult to infer whether or not someone lived here. On the one hand, the sheets on the bed looked disturbed as if someone slept here recently. On the other hand, the ashes in the fireplace were old, not fresh. There was a little food in a chest, but it was stale. I concluded that someone lived here once but abandoned it, and someone different stayed the night.

Jazen tried to have me sit down in an armchair near the door, but I refused. I wanted to check this place out first.

It was a nice place. Whoever once lived here knew how to take care of the house. It was neat and tidy. Books were covered with a film of dust but looked like they were read often. I randomly snatched one off the shelf. It was titled _Lost Secrets_. I flipped through the pages when something caught my eye.

_The Empire declared war on the dragons after deciding that they were tired of living in fear. Three other nations arose and allied themselves with the Empire of Gantee: The Kingdom of Covel, The Republics of Avenesia, and Caronigh. _

_The four countries all had a strong army when put together. Some hoped that it would be a quick fight. Still, the strong dragons put up a fight. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. In the end, however, what was now known as the Great Kingdoms emerged victorious. _

_To prove their victory, the Empire stole a Dragon Egg and slaughtered the remaining dragons. Their terrifying reign had come to an end. The Empire discovered that the egg possessed several unique abilities, among these include-_

"What's that?"

Irys was practically skipping over to me in interest. "I don't know. Just some book." I hastily put it onto the shelf.

Her olive green eyes followed the book back onto the shelf in curiosity. "Interesting title. Wonder what it's about."

I wanted to tell Irys, but I couldn't. I don't know how to describe it. There was a reason why I knew and my friends did not. "I don't know. It was in some foreign language," I made up at the top of my head.

Unconvinced, Irys grabbed the book from where I put it. "No don't-"

"I can't even understand this. This is gibberish or something." She tossed it onto the floor in annoyance.

I was speechless. Was I actually reading something in some ancient and forgotten language? To be sure, I opened it again and saw the mysterious symbols. Some how I could understand it, but how?

I had a weird feeling as I went back to the main room. Something was going to happen.

Jazen and irys seemed to sense it too. The atmosphere in the room was tense as Irys warily passed me a slice of bread. "Well, I'm going to find a place to sleep," I announced.

Jazen gave me a nod of acknowledgement, so I tiptoed to the bedroom closest to the front door. I was about to enter it when the blade went straight in front of my neck. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slit your throat for breaking into my home."

**_That was probably the closest I have ever done with creating a severe cliffhanger. *grins evilly* Of course, you will have to wait and see, but if you review, then I will post the next chapter soon. *hint hint* Have a Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/ Happy New Year/great day :D._**

**_~Lya200~_**


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